


You Left Me. Family. Doesn't. Leave.

by KCeeRae



Series: Tell Me Where You're From [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Abandonment, Amputation, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-23 22:24:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13199802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KCeeRae/pseuds/KCeeRae
Summary: Junkrat receives a message from The Queen: She wants to see him. Badly. Junkrat convinces Roadhog that maybe they need to go back to their little homestead outside of Junkertown, just to rest. Definitely not because he cares what the big boss has to say. Why would he? She left him for dead after all, after everything.





	You Left Me. Family. Doesn't. Leave.

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT 30/12/2017. While posting my cat had sat on my laptop. I didn't realize her furry butt managed to move some paragraphs around. I THINK I managed to fix it but if anything seems a little wonky let me know ! We'll just blame Pumpkin for the mistake!

_ “Mama!” Jamie yells, running into the house, his little hands cupped over something, “I caught some crickets an’ ‘m gonna give ‘em ta- mama?”  _

_ Jamison stares at his mother who was sitting at their kitchen table, head in her hands and crying softly.  _

_ “Mama?” He asks, approaching her slowly, crickets still clutched in his hands, “... I got some crickets an’ I wanna give ‘em to my rats.”  _

_ She sniffles, righting herself and wiping her face on a handkerchief, “Oh Jamie…” She puts a hand on his shoulder in comfort, “I have to tell you somethin’, my little ankle biter.” She looks into his wide, curious eyes. She fears his innocence will be gone sooner than she’d hoped, that all hope she had for him was going to die. _

_ “Your rats passed away, Jamie.”  _

_ Jamison stares at his mother and stammers, “ W-Wha’? I dunno whatcha mean, Mama. Where’s Cobber and Hoon?” He asks, not understanding what it means to pass away. _

_ “... they’re dead, Jamie.” She says, stealing herself, waiting for tears that are sure to come. Jamie understands ‘dead’. _

_ “No! They were fine las’ night!” Jamie cries, letting the crickets go and they hop out into the kitchen, relishing in their freedom, “Mama! Tell me it ain’t true, please!” He sobs and she holds him against her bosom.  _

_ “ ‘m sorry, Jamie. ‘M so sorry.”  _

 

_ \---- _

 

It’s been about four months since their ‘retreat’ at the old Rutledge homestead. To say that things were different between the Junkers would be a massive understatement. 

Junkrat quietly shimmies up behind Roadhog, the massive man was sitting beside their campfire, and he jumps onto his back, covering Roadie’s eyes with his hands. Not many could attempt to do that and live.

“Guess who!?” He shouts and Roadhog chuckles, feeling the metal and flesh against his bare face. The mask was laid close by, within reach, but unnecessary when it was just the two of them.

“A rat.” He rumbles, leaning his head back to look at Jamie. 

Junkrat cackles, squeezing Roadhog’s thick cheeks in delight, “A Junkrat!” He declares, crawling over Roadhog’s shoulder and dropping himself in the larger man’s lap, “ Hi, Roadie.” He coos. 

Roadhog uses a big hand to pat the top of Junkrat’s head affectionately, “Hi, Junkie.” he murmurs, leaning down to meet Junkrat for a kiss. 

“Sooooooo.” Junkrat clicks his tongue and Roadhog’s eyebrows draw together. Uh oh, “Don’t look at me like that! I just ran into someone while I was out looking for food. Oh!”

Junkrat pulls a few dead salamanders out of his pocket, “A snack! I’ll dry ‘em up. I also-”  He pulls out a clump of roots from his pocket, “Dug ‘em myself! Wouldn’t forget you.” 

Roadhog would be touched at the vegetarian option if he wasn’t worried about Junkrat running into someone in the Outback.

“Junkrat.” 

“Right… um, the Queen’s scouts! Looking for us. Queenie’s heard about our little world wide heist spree! And I guess she thought our attempt to kill her was awful funny, cause the guard told her about the cart? Ha! So… she wants to see us. Well… me. She said not to bring ya. Said no hard feelin’s!” 

Roadhog grunts and Junkrat cackles, “Yeah, stupid right? I ain’t goin’ nowhere near Junkertown without ya, Roadie.” He promises, “... but if she wants ta talk…” 

“Why do you care?” Roadhog asks and Junkrat huffs, shaking his head.   
“I don’... jus’ curious.” Junkrat mumbles, leaning back into Roadhog as he stares at the fire. Just curious.

 

\-------

_ Jamie doesn’t understand why his Mama’s long blond hair is suddenly gone. He rubs his hands over her fuzzy head and giggles, “Fuzzy! I still think yer beautiful.” He assures and she smiles.  _

_ “ Thank you, Jamie. How about we work on something for dinner?” _

_ “ Yes!”  _

_ It started with the hair, then his mother wasn’t able to play with him as much as she used to, and then she was able to chase him. Madison Fawkes coughs up blood in the washroom one night and it only gets worse from there.  _

_ Soon his mother doesn’t leave her bed and five year old Jamie brings her snacks in bed, the cupboards slowly emptying.  _

_ “... ‘m sorry, Jamie. ‘M so sorry. The world is gonna be awful hard for you.” There was no one else to look after Jamie. In the world outside their home people were dying and Junkers were rising to power in the Outback. They had no one to turn to, she’d tried. No one would take a boy who would probably die anyway, bound to be taken by the radiation. _

_ “ Nah! ‘M tough, Mama! Nothing can stop Jamison Fawkes!” He declares and she smiles at him before coughing up into a tissue. Jamie swallows, “ Let’s nap, Mama. You’ll feel better after.”  _

_ Madison Fawkes also died in her sleep, curled protectively around her son.  _

_ Jamison’s sobs alert raiders to their home and they take the boy, making him carry their supplies across the blinding heat of the Outback.  _

_ His mother wasn’t buried, left to rot in their home. Junkrat doesn’t have time to grieve, and he’s so young he barely remembers her. Even if Madison Fawkes had loved her son until the day she died, in the life of ‘Junkrat’ she was but a shadow of a memory.  _

 

_ \---- _

 

They don’t settle in any one place for awhile. Despite having loved their accommodations during their heist spree, the motels, the hotels, and the houses, there was something missing. The wide open deserts of the Outback was theirs, and the barn and trailer on the outskirts of Junkertown their homestead.

If Roadhog was honest with himself he thinks his home is wherever Junkrat is, and lately that’s been the open road. While its true they haven’t been back to their actual permanent place for awhile, Roadhog thinks it’s weird Junkrat tries to steer them back toward it one afternoon.

“Junkrat.” Roadhog warns, and Junkrat looks at him innocently.   
“We left lots of dried roots and chips and stuff at our place. Figured some supplies would be awful nice for us. Then we can hit the road! Plus, don’cha miss your bed? Or, oh! You’re low on gas!” He reminds and Roadhog groans. Junkrat was actually right, he was low on gas and it’d be nice to refill. 

“Fine.” Roadhog grunts, “No goin’ into town.” He warns and Junkrat huffs. 

“ Would never!” 

Roadhog knows what Junkrat is planning.

Junkrat plans to go into town. He hasn’t told Roadie but since the first scouts came to look for him there’s been two or three more. They  _ insist  _ he come talk to the Queen. Junkrat’s curiosity is too much. He doesn’t know why she’d suddenly have interest into him now, after all this time. She certainly hadn’t before. 

 

\-----

 

_ Jamison is passed and traded through countless amounts of groups within his first year on the road. He’s scrawny - they never feed him, he steals scraps- and covered in bruises, as more often than not he’s beaten for not keeping up with the pack. _

_ Jamie doesn’t ask questions, tries not to cry, just does what he’s told and keeps his distance from people’s fists. When they camp for the night and he’s sure people are asleep, he cries. He knows the pain of loss at the young age of six, before he ever should have.  _

_ He’s seven when he’s traded off again, to a group of Junkers crueler than any he’d met with before. They cut off his arm when he’s caught stealing food out of the leader’s pouch.  _

_ Jamie doesn’t remember much, just pain. He’d screamed until they’d knocked him out and when he woke he’d vomited. His arm was gone, bandaged in filthy rags.  _

_ In hindsight Junkrat isn’t sure how he didn’t die of infection. Just a lucky bastard, he thinks, given way too many chances in a world that keeps beating him down.  _

_ Without an arm he isn’t much use anymore. He can barely drag his pack along let around anyone else’s. When they set up camp again, and Jamie can stop vomiting from pain, the leader of the group drags him away from the campfire by the back of his tattered shirt.  _

_ Jamison swallows, scrambling to get to his feet and trying to follow, “ S-Sir? What’s happening, Sir? I said I was sorry for stealin’.” He says hesitantly, getting thrown forward against the ground for it.  _

_ “Not good for much now, are ya, kid?” The leader - Chainlink, Junker names had improved over the years- asks, pulling Junkrat up by is full head of blonde hair, “ What do you think you’re good for now?”  _

_ “Uh, the c-cookin’?” Jamie guesses, watching as Chainlink’s hands go to his belt. He flicks it open and Jamison flinches, “Or, um! Um, um, I can make a wicked sammich, or maybe scavengin’! I can catch lotsa’ little animals! I used to h-have r-r-r-ats-”  _

_ Jamison gasps as he’s hit across the face with the back of a hand.  _

_ “I was thinkin’ somethin’ that’d shut you up, useless fuckin’ kid.” Chainlink drops his pants and Jamison tries to get away, only to get his hair pulled and tugged in toward Chainlink’s crotch.  _

_ “N-No! Please.” Jamison cries, pushing against his thighs.  _

_ “Don’t you dare bite me you little, fuc-”  _

_ Jamison stares as Chainlink stops moving before falling over to the ground. Behind him is a girl, about nineteen or twenty, holding a crowbar.  _

_ “ Anythin’ at that camp you’ll miss?”  _

_ Jamison shakes his head and she pulls him to his feet, “Let’s go before they notice. Oh. One last thing.” She takes the crowbar and smashes Chainlink’s skull, spitting on his corpse.  _

_ “ Sick fuck. Let’s go kid.”  _

_ Jamison stares at her back for a moment before running toward her, “W-What’s your name?” He asks and she smiles down at him, patting his head.  _

_ “Call me Queenie.”  _

 

_ \------ _

 

“Home!” Junkrat yells, dropping himself onto his and Roadhog’s bed happily. He nuzzles his face into the familiar pillows and sighs as he smells the wonderful mix of him and Roadhog. Speaking of the big pig-

Junkrat turns and watches Roadhog carefully park the bike on her pedestal, then set about giving her a little wipe down. Junkrat watches him affectionately, waiting for him to finish before beckoning Roadhog over with a finger. 

“Come sit.” He insists, and when Roadhog sits on the bed Junkrat plugs in his Hogdrogen dispenser and listens to Roadhog breathe in deep, “There you are, Hoggy. How’s that feel? 

Roadhog’s lung have been terribly damaged by the years of radiation but breathing in the gas, it helps relieve the pain. Hog sighs, laying back on the bed and listening it to it creak.

“... Think I wanna nap. That a’right?” Roadhog murmurs and Junkrat leans over, smooching his snout. 

“Rest, Hoggy. I’ll be here when you wake up.” 

Junkrat wouldn’t be there when Roadhog woke up. He sneaks out of their barn, decked out in his vest and gear, walking toward the gate of Junkertown. 

Jamie looks up at the great looming walls and swallows. He missed this place, it’d been his home from a very long time, but now it just held bad memories and made him  _ anxious _ . Scurrying up to the little side door Junkrat does the secret knock - four raps and a kick - and waits for a response.

It opens and he’s yanked in by the arm, “Oi!” 

“SHUSH! You wanna be killed, ‘Rat?” A man whispers and Junkrat lights up. 

“ Brucey!” He yell/whispers, hugging onto the man, “ Ah, Bruce, Hoggy and I miss ya, buddy!” 

“Yeah, yeah.” The old scraper pushes him away and throws a cloak over the younger Junker, “Hide yet face ya fuckin’ twat. Everyone in the town wants ta shoot ya through the skull. Jus’ cause the Queen wants to see you doesn’ mean shit.” 

“Heh, any hint on why tha’ is?” Junkrat asks hopefully, pulling the cloak tighter around his frame. 

“Yer guess is as good as mine. Let’s get goin’, towns quiet right now.” Bruce says, looking out at the road before pulling Jamie along by the flesh arm.

Junkrat takes everything in. It’s been a couple years but not much has changed. He gasps as they pass the old dumpling shop. He’ll pick something up for Roadhog, he’ll need it to soothe the poor Hog’s soul once he’s back. Junkrat isn’t stupid, he knows that Roadhog will find him gone.

Through the streets, out toward the scrapyard, and up toward the Queen’s ‘throne room’, Bruce leads Junkrat to her. 

Seated in her throne, the Queen is laid reclining, feet thrown up over the armrest. She seems to be admiring her manicure and only looks up when Junkrat’s peg leg scrapes across the floor. 

“Jamie.” She says affectionately, standing as they approach her. Grabbing the cloak, she rips it off him, looking him up and down, “Hm. Thank ya, Bruce. Yer a saint. I’ll stop by later, ya?” 

Bruce nod, patting Junkrat on the back before scurrying away. He knows when he’s dismissed by her.

“Whelp, ‘m here. You really wanted me here considerin’ you sent  _ how many _ people to come fetch me?” Junkrat scoffs, leaning on his peg leg and looking her up and down. The Queen looks… stunning, Junkrat unfortunately has to admit. She’s always been the picture of confidence and it’s no wonder she decided to be called the Queen. She’s absolutely regal. “So, what? You miss me?” He sneers and startles as she lays a hand on his shoulder. 

“I did miss ya.” The Queen says, stepping into his space, running her hand down his arm, “ Jamie, I know I’ve said some cruel things in the past but I’ve seen the footage of your heists. ‘M proud of you, Jamie.” 

Junkrat swallows, a blush spreading over his face, “But I tried to kill ya.” He reminds and the Queen laughs, slinging an arm around his shoulders. 

“James, it was awful cute, and I know I made you mad… you have to understand why I couldn’t let you and your bodyguard stay in the town. You make an awful mess of my things and without  _ order _ -” The Queen smiles, “ - things just go to shit.”

Junkrat narrows his eyes, “Seems like ‘m always makin’ a mess of things for ya. Maybe it’s best if I get outta ‘ere.” He decides. Jamison’s faced enough reprimands from the Queen over the years that he knows her tune can’t be changing this quickly. She pushed him away long before she actually exiled him from the town.

“I already said, Jamie. I miss ya.” She insists, hugging him in closer.

“ Knock it off, Queenie.” The name makes her smile. 

“Come back an’ see me, Jamie. Please. All the guards know to bring ya here.” 

“...we’ll see.” Junkrat picks his cloak off the ground and pulls it over himself, “I got things ta do. Don’ wanna be around where ‘m not wanted.” 

Nodding, she motions for him to go, “I’ll be here, Jamie… and you’re wanted here.” 

“ Roight…Bye.” Junkrat gives a little wave before hurrying out into the town and out of the gates. What the  _ hell _ was that about? 

  
  


\-----

 

_“QUEENIE! QUEENIE!” Jamie shouts , running back toward their camp where Queenie was sitting out by the fire. She stands, picking up her axe, worried the twelve year old had gotten himself in trouble while he was out scavenging for food._ _  
__“Jamie!? Jamie, what’s-”_

_ “CHECK THIS OUT.” Hurling one of the balls he held in his hand toward the distance, when it impacted the ground it exploded. Queenie stares at Jamie as he continues hurdling explosives with his single arm out into the desert. When he’s finally out of explosives she walks over.  _

_ “Where’d you get ‘im?” Queenie asks and Jamie beams.  _

_ “ I made ‘em! I found this black powder and I realized it’d blow! Then I crammed it into these- these spheres and tossed and BOOM! I can help protect us!”  _

_ About damn time he start pulling his own weight when it came to killing Junkers and Raiders who wanted her head, “If you be careful you can make whatever you wan’, you little spitfire.” She encourages.  _

_ From that point on Jamie was a real scrapper. He’d raid the bodies of the Junkers Queenie killed, pulled apart old vehicles and machines. By the time he’s thirteen Jamison has finally managed to build a launcher for his grenades and he’s raiding the bodies of men he kills.  _

_ Queenie watches as the young teen uses a screwdriver to tighten the joint on his new prosthetic arm. They’d never had the money to buy him one or trade one. That just meant that Jamison had to build himself an arm. It’s a little rickety and bolts sometimes fall out but the kid has two arms again.  _

_ He’s a bloody genius and completely irreplaceable in the Outback, especially now. _

_ Queenie had heard rumors of the city building up in the far reaches of the Outback. It’s said that to stake a claim in the city you needed to be able to build bots and fight them in the ring. The currency of the city was scrap and blood. Queenie wanted to rule it. From the moment the world fell to shit and she’d been on her own, swearing to rule the destroyed world. She’d be its Queen.  _

_Watching the kid tinker with his machines she knew she’d hit the jackpot with Jamison. She pats him on the head and smiles, “ Yer\a little junk rat aren’t you?”_ _  
__Gasping, Jamie hold onto her arm, “ JUNKRAT!”_

_ It was settled.  _

 

_ \------ _

 

Roadhog is sitting out on the porch when Junkrat comes stumbling back home. Junkrat is holding out a steamer of buns and dumplings with a grin, “ So… you know where I was, obviously. Figured I’d bring ya a little taste ‘a home.” He tries, handing Roadhog the steamer. 

Roadhog takes it, staring at Jamie. Even with the mask on Junkrat knows that Roadhog is staring at him in that disapproving way that he does. 

“... Roadie, mate? Please say somethin’ to me?” Junkrat requests, watching as his partner turns his back and walks into the barn.   
“Roadhog? Roadie? Mako?” Junkrat follows behind his partner into the barn, fidgeting uncontrollably with his belt and harness as he waits for some sort of reaction from Roadhog, “ Okay, roight, so. You told me not to go, so I didn’ listen cause ‘m the worst, I know, but I-I-I-I had a reason! I swear, I jus’, I needed to know what the big boss had to say!” 

“Why’s her opinion so important to ya, ‘Rat? I’m starting to think ‘m missing a piece of yer puzzle.” Roadhog admits, setting the dumpling steamer down and pulling his mask off. Now that it’s gone Junkrat can see the pain and worry etched into Roadhog’s features and it hurts his heart. 

“Oh Roadie-” Junkrat stands up on his tippy-toes - and his tippy-peg - just so he can touch Mako’s face, “ ‘m fine! All in one piece! Well, as much as I ever am!” He cackles, pressing their cheeks together and nuzzling, “Don’ worry about the Queen. She means nothin’ to me!” 

“... I told you about my family.” Mako murmurs and Junkrat fumes. 

“She ain’t family!” Junkrat snarls, pulling away, “ Don’ even compare her to what you had with yer wife and daughter! It ain’t like that. Was  _ never _ like that.” He hissed, pacing in an angry circle in front of Roadhog, “She’s a stupid, lyin’, cheatin’, lyin’, rude, backstabbin’-”

Junkrat’s rant is put to an end with Roadhog pulls him against his belly for a hug and Jamie slumps against him, tired. 

“... you don’ gotta tell me, ‘Rat. In yer own time. Jus’ promise you won’ go back without me? Tell her you won’t meet her again unless I’m with you. Promise me, ‘Rat.” Roadhog raises a big pinky finger and Junkrat stares, before reaching out and making a promise, his little pinky barely wrapping around Mako’s. 

“ I promise, Mako… I really promise. I won’t go without you. Promise.” 

Mako picks him up and they sit down together on the bed, sharing their steamer of dumplings.   
Junkrat keeps his promise not to go visit the Queen. That didn’t account for the Queen coming to visit them. 

 

\----

 

_ “Whoa, Queenie!”Junkrat clings to her arm as they walk in through the gates of Junkertown. There’s shops, just like in the old days before the omnium blew. People are talking, trading, fighting-  _

_ A large Junker waddles up to Queenie and before he can even touch her she’s got her blade to his neck, “Try it ya Mongrel. You’ll lose yer head.” She snarls, and he backs off. Junkrat smirks, sticking his tongue out at him. No one messes with his Queen.  _

_ “Let’s go, kiddo. Where is the scrapyard!?” Queenie yells and a bunch of men and women point her into town, “ Thank you!”  _

_ She struts through the city like she already owns the place, right into the arena. The sound of destruction and tearing metal is deafening. Junkrat covers his ears and follows her until they can see the ring. _

_ There’s two bots absolutely pummeling one another. Boltz and scrap is flying and Junkrat has to duck or a piece would of clocked him in the face, “ ‘M gonna build one!” Junkrat yells, eyes wide in awe. “ I’ll build ya the best bot ‘ere.” He promises, looking up at Queenie. _

_ She pats his head and nods, “That’s why we’re here, kiddo. How about we get to work?” _

_ They rent a small hole in the wall in Junkertown and together they collect scrap. Junkrat works day and night, barely sleeps, and Queenie protects him while they work. It takes a year to build the thing but it’s worth it. The fifteen year old calls it Ripper, because of the big teeth and claws it’s got on its face and arms. _

_ “I can either steer it with a remote or you can pilot it!”Junkrat tells her, opening up the belly of the beast. There’s a seat inside just for her and Queen picks him up, hugging him tight.  _

_ “Oh my talented little Junkrat! ‘M so proud of you, kiddo!” She shakes him in delight and sets him down, “ What’d’ya say we take ‘m down to the scrapyard? We’ll win, then-” She puts him down and looks him in the eyes, “ Junkrat and The Queen will rule this place together. Ya?”  _

_ “Hell ya!”  _

_ Ripper tears apart every bot that comes against her in the ring. Within a few months no one dare challenges her, and it time to face the King. _

_ Queenie shows no mercy. She pilots the bot, tearing him apart, until the old ruling Junker is bleeding out against the cement. She pops the hatch on her bot and steps out, onto his dying body, looking at the gathered residents of Junkertown. Everyone in the city must be there for the match. _

_“You have a new Queen!” She declares, raising her arms and listening to the crowd cheer. “It is the dawn of a new day here in Junkertown! I am going to lead us to prosperity and victory! No one will look down on us. We’ll no longer be second class! Hail the Queen!”_ _  
__“Hail the Queen!”_

_ She looks up in the stands and sees Junkrat beaming at her in absolute adoration. She winks and he blushes, waving at her. He’s so proud of what she’s done, he doesn't’ care if no one know he built the bot. Queenie could get all the glory and he was happy for her.  _

_ \----- _

 

No one knocks in Junkertown because they’re more than likely to get shot by the person who opens it. No one knocks on Roadhog’s door for the same reason, because it’s a guarantee they’re going to get killed.

Roadhog throws open the door, scrap gun in hand. He’s about to pull the trigger when he realizes who it is. The Queen is standing on his porch, no weapon in sight. She even has her two hands raised to show she’s no threat. 

“Roadhog.” The Queen smiles, offering a hand to shake. Roadhog doesn’t move, staring her down, “Roight.” Dropping her hand, she doesn’t drop her smile, “ Figured I’d come and visit my favourite residents on the outskirts of Junkertown. How’s it treatin’ you? You ‘aven’t been back for a bit, hm?” 

Roadhog grunts, not much for small talk. She understands, setting her hands on her hips, “Whelp, not that I need to, if you don’t want, but I’d mighty like to be invited in. Wha’d’ya say, big fella?” 

“Why should I?” Roadhog grunts. 

“ ‘cause you wanna kno” She sneers, “You wanna know why he’d come an’ see me. It’s tearing you up with worry, ain’t it,  _ Roadhog?”  _

Roadhog growls, about to give her a whack with his gun, no matter how much trouble it’d get him in, when he feels Junkrat behind him. 

“ Roadie, did someone actually  _ knock?  _ Dumb fucks, why didn’ you shoot ‘im ya- Queenie.” Junkrat blinks, looking around Roadhog to see her, “What’re you doin’ ‘ere?” 

“Figured your big ol’ bodyguard wouldn’t let you come see me again, Jamie. I meant what I said, I miss you. Let me inside?”

Junkrat swallows, looking up at Roadhog, “She… is the Queen, mate. Prolly should?” 

Roadhog tries not to groan, stomping back inside and letting whatever this is happen. Junkrat grin sheepishly, motioning for the Queen to come into their barn. 

“Oh! Cozy!” She says, talking everything in. She looks very interested in Hog’s Hogdrogen dispenser in the corner and the bike on her pedestal, “Any chance you’d tell me how you go this thing all the way across the ocean an’ back? No? Didn’ figure. Neat.” She does a circle around the bike, “ You like livin’ ‘ere, Jamie?” 

Everytime she calls him Jamie Roadhog feels his blood boil. How did she know his name? How long have they actually known each otw.” 

“Love it! Nicest place on earth, honestly. Wouldn’ trade it for nothin’.” 

“Not even Junkertown?” 

Junkrat huffs, glaring at her from the stool he’s perched himself on, “ Oh? Where in Junkertown? My  _ dumpster _ that you had me livin’ in for four years? No thanks.” 

“Oh Jamie, you could have moved anywhere else.” She insists and Jamie huffs, angrily spinning on his stool.

“SURE! Oh yes! ‘Cause everyone wanted to rent to me! Certainly! I could just-” He gets to his feet and walks forward,  “-stroll up-” He makes a knocking motion, “- knock on a door. Hello! I’m Junkrat, I wanted to rent from ya fine folks would ya min-” He grabs his chest like he’s been shot and falls to the floor, peg leg up in the air, “It’d go great!”  

Roadhog watches, makes sure she doesn’t make a move for him while he’s vulnerable on the floor. Eventually Junkrat gets up to his feet -foot- and glares at her, “Ya made it impossible to live. I lived in the omnium for a  _ year,  _ because I was twenty-two with no one and  _ then _ I find somethin’, and yer goons chase me across the desert for a couple years and  _ THEN _ they try to gut me in yer own bar on yer command. You backstabbin’, traitorous, lyin’-” 

He gets a little too close for her liking and she swings a leg up, a boot knife sliding out the front of her sole where she held her foot near his throat. She doesn’t lose her balance, barely moves a muscle, “Keep back, Jamie.” She warns and he freezes, looking pained. 

“ ‘m not gonna hurt ya! Why do ya always think ‘m gonna hurt ya?!”

Roadhog lifts his gun, “Time fer you ta leave.” He snarls, “Hurt him and you won’t know what hit ya.” 

The Queen tilts her head, looking at him, “ I won’ hurt ‘im.” She plants her foot back on the ground and reaches out, stroking Jamie’s cheek with a finger, “I’ll leave, but I’ll be back.” She assures, winking as she walks out the door. 

Junkrat sinks down to the floor of the barn, gripping at his hair and tugging,  Stupid, stupid, stupid! I wasn’ gonna hurt her, why’s she always thinkin’ ‘m gonna-! ‘M not a monster! ‘M not!” 

Roadhog walks over and kneels down beside Junkrat, gently dislodging Junkrat’s hands from his hair, “Junkie…?”   
“I don’ wanna talk. Don’ wanna.” Junkrat sniffs, leaning his head on Roadhog’s belly tiredly.

“... you don’t have to.” Roadhog murmurs, patting his hair. He wouldn’t push. He would, however, kill the Queen if she pulls another stunt like that. 

 

\------

 

_ In the Outback it was pretty obvious who was, and wasn’t, affected by the radiation. There’s those covered with blistered, bodies emaciated from the poison. Even those with extra limbs that started to grow out of nowhere. Most people with a cough sure as shit didn’t have the common cold. The most common sign was your hair falling out.  _

_ Junkrat is eighteen and he doesn’t get out all that much. He stays holed up in his little workshop in the scrapyard, working on bots and projects for the Queen. She comes down to see him every night, bringing him dinner, and stories from town.  _

_ Usually Junkrat is happy to see her, lighting up when she comes down into the kid’s little camp. Today he’s curled up on his bed, his tall body shaking beneath the covers. They’ve been partners for twelve years and she hasn’t shaken this much since she saved him from that pervert as a kid.  _

_ “Jamie?” She asks, putting her container of dumplings down and walking forward, a hand on his back. She tries to pull the blanket away and he gasps, pulling it.  _

_ “Don’t look at me!” He shouts and Queenie smiles.  _

_ “Jamie. Don’t be like that, what’s wrong?”  _

_ “This!” Junkrat sits up, motions to where his hair had fallen out in clumps. “ ‘m dyin’ Queenie! Look at my hair!”  _

_ “Jamison.” She tries not to show her worry, reaching up and petting the bald spots on his head. Yup, he’s got radiation poisoning. Even if it had been delayed for thirteen years of living in the Outback, it had finally caught up with her scrapper, “You’re gonna be just fine. It’s hair, you’re still handsome!” She promises, “ Nothing bad is gonna happen.”  _

_ “... you promise I’ll be okay?” Junkrat asks worriedly, looking up at her.  _

_ “Promise, Jamie! You have nothing to worry about.”  _

_ Jamison Fawkes had so much to worry about. First it was his hair, next his baby blue eyes turned molten orange. Each and every day his laugh got a little bit more manic, squeaking in his throat. He’d always been off the wall, living in the Outback did that to the calmest Junkers, but Jamie was changing. He used to be a fairly tall, built young man. Now he was hunched, his ribs visible through skin. _

_ Radiation was flowing through his veins and so was paranoia, mania, and explosives.  _

_ His shop underneath the scrapyard blows skyhigh one day and Junkrat rolls out of the rumble, cackling with his hair inflame.  _

_ “Queenie!” He calls as she runs over to him, giggling as her hands roam his body, checking for injuries, “Oi! Tickles! Tickles, mate, tickles!” Junkrat grins up at her, “Did you see that!? Did. Ya. See. That!? Amazing!” he grins, getting to his feet and brushing off the dirt.  _

_ “Junkrat. You can’t do this, kid.” The Queen pulls him by the arm away from the explosion and the scene, “ What am I supposed to tell people? Do you realize how much you destroyed!?” She demands, “I’ve cleaned up a lot of messes for ya. I can’t do anymore, especially not one this big.”  _

_ “Oh! Pish posh, put me up in another room. No one’ll bat an eye. We’re Junkrat and The Queen!” He slings an arm around her neck, grinning. He must just squeeze a little too tight because the Queen shoves him away, roughly.  _

_ “ Oh! Sorry, sheila! Didn’ mean ta hurt ya there! Let’s get back ta business!”  _

_ “... business. Right.”  _

_ The Queen gives Junkrat one more house in Junkertown. One more chance.  _

_ \------ _

 

Roadhog was cooking dinner in their small kitchen. After the Queen had left Junkrat had gone right to bed. It’s been a few weeks since then but Junkrat hasn’t been himself. He hasn’t blown anything up, barely spoke, lethargically wandered around the house. 

Roadhog was making him soup, hoping it’ll lift his spirits and make him feel better. 

When he walks over to the bed where Junkrat is laying, bowl of soup in hand, Junkrat is asleep, clutching his stump. His peg leg is laid off to the side. 

In his sleep Junkrat is mumbling, “No, no, come back, no, no, no…” 

Roadhog puts the bowl of soup down on the floor and gently nudges Junkrat, “Jamie. Jamie.” He murmurs, brushing a large hand through Jamie’s messy hair. 

Junkrat gasps in pain, sitting up, still clutching his leg. “ It hurts, hurts, hurts, oh christ, oh  _ christ _ .” 

Roadhog takes Jamie’s thigh within his large palms and massages the muscle carefully, “I got you, gonna make it better. Yer okay. Phantom pains, not real. Yer all healed. “ He promises while Jamie gasps for breath. 

“... I blew up her men and blew off me leg.” Junkrat gasps, leaning against his belly, “ That was it. She left me. I lived in a  _ dumpster,  _ Roadie. Once I managed to make my peg leg work. All alone in that room until I could get up and open the door. I-I-I-I was alone. So alone and and and she left. She left me! She was all I had!” Junkrat sobs, clutching his partner like his life depends on it. 

“... What happened, Jamie? Please tell me, I don’t understand.”

Junkrat does, because he’s been bottling it up for far too long.

 

\-----

 

_ Junkrat builds her bombs, arms her men, and makes the forces of Junkertown something to be reckoned with, even through his mania. The Queen brings him out with her more often to fight, letting him blow off some steam so he doesn’t blow up something - or someone - else.  _

_ The Queen gets way too familiar with the sound of grenades blowing past her head and the sound of explosions ringing in her ear. She almost gets used to it. Almost.  _

_ She keeps him at arm’s length. Junkrat hugs a little too tight, twitches a little too much, cheers too loudly. Slowly he begins to chip away at her peace, breaking down her feeling of safety.  _

_ Junkrat finally goes too far during a raid. He decides, without telling anyone, to set up a boobytrap outside of the victims camp so when they go running they’ll go boom!  _

_ He meant to tell the others, he really did, but he’d been distracted. Junkrat was shooting up the house when the Queen had grabbed his grenade launcher away from him and tossed it, “Oi! Wha’d’ya think yer doin’!? That’s mine!”  _

_ “ Knock it off, Rat! Yer gonna kill someone!” _

_ “I’m tryin’ to!”  _

_ “Well knock it off!” He shoves her and the Queen tackles him to the ground, a knife to his throat.  _

_Junkrat bursts into manic cackles, “ Do it! You’ll blow us both! Don’ think I wear this for looks, do ya?!”_ _  
__She stares at him in absolute horror._

_ It’s one of their men that gets stuck in a trap and Junkrat had used a little too much explosive.  _

_ Junkrat wakes up back in Junkertown, laying on a bed somewhere. All he is aware of is the pain, “O-Oh god.” He croaks, eyes wild and he looks around for something, “ Queenie! Q-Que-” He keels over the side of his bed and vomits. There’s a hand on his back and Junkrat gasps, sitting up, “Queenie!” He clings to her arm, clutching on for dear life, “It hurts, it hurt-!” Nails dig into her skin and she pulls away, punching him in the face.  _

_ Junkrat gasps, falling back against the bed, “Wha’?”  _

_ “Useless! You killed them, all a’ them!” She shouts, kicking him upside the ribs so hard he falls off the bed and onto the floor, “ You stupid, manic, FREAK!”  _

_ “ I-I-I-I didn’ mean ta! I jus’ wanted ta help.” Junkrat tries to scramble to his feet and realizes, looking down at the dirty bandages wrapped around his thigh. The stump of his thigh. He sobs, clutching the stump, “ Not again! No No No.”  _

_ Junkrat feels another boot to the side and he cowers, looking up at his friend, family, savior, “ Queenie-”  _

_ “ No more.” She shakes her head, “No. More. I want you away from me. You can stay in town but stay. Away. From. Me.”  _

_“ Queenie-”_ _  
__“ Away from me, Jamie! I mean it. If I see you anywhere near the yard, anywhere near me-” Her bottom lip trembles, “I mean what I say, Junkrat.” The Queen rights herself and tosses him a peg leg that had been sitting off to the side, “Once you can walk on this, get out of here. It’s the last nice thing I’ll do for ya.”_

_ “Please, don’ leave.” He crawls toward her, trying to touch her leg but is kicked for his efforts, “Yer all I’ve ever had. Queenie no, you’re all I got, please, please no.”  _

_ “ Bye, Junkrat.”  _

_ “No! No, please don’t leave me. Please, Queenie! No!” He sobs, crawling to the door that’s slammed in his face. He claws at it with his nails until his fingers bleed, “ Come back! NO!”  _

_ He curls up on the cold ground, rocking himself as he clutches what’s left of his leg. _

_ “No…”  _

_ She doesn’t tell him his leg getting blown off was what shielded her from being uninjured.  _

 

_ \------ _

 

Roadhog is going to kill her

Junkrat relays his story. When he speaks of the woman who saved him from monsters there is absolute adoration in his eyes. She’d saved him, raised him, encouraged him to build his machines so they could run that world that screwed them over. They’d had a life together and Jamison Fawkes had loved the Queen like a mother. She’s the only mother he remembered now, Madison only a speck in his memory.

She’d abandoned him when she couldn’t control him anymore, when he’d become something ‘dangerous’. Something completely unpredictable.

“... so once I got out I lived in a dumpster behind the dumpling shop, building prosthetics for kids and for people who’d give me a meal… I decided I didn’ wanna be in a town tha’ didn’ want me. I was sick of seeing’ her face on every wall, smiling at me like she was a  _ savior _ … that’s when I went to the omnium, when I found me  _ treasure _ .” Junkrat smiles bitterly, “... May have run me mouth. 

They came after me, out in the omnium, across the desert. I ran for a couple years but I needed some food, a  _ drink _ .” Junkrat’s face lights up into a genuine smile, “That’s when you saved me, Roadhog. I knew I could trust ya, when I saw ya. I just knew… and you did.” 

There’s adoration on his face now and it’s all for Roadhog, “ … you accept me, you  _ love _ me. Even if I blow up things I shouldn’t and get us in trouble. I know I changed. I know she doesn’t like that I changed but I like me now! This is the me that survived the Outback and ’m proud!”

“ ‘m proud of you.” Roadhog rumbles, cupping Junkrat’s face in his hands, “... She left ya for dead than tried to kill ya.” Realization dawns for Roadhog and he huffed a laugh, “ Stealin’ her gold, blowin’ up her summer shack. Revenge… cause you couldn’t bare to kill ‘er.”

Junkrat looks up Roadhog worriedly, “ Yer not m-mad that I couldn’t kill ‘er, right Roadie?” He asks hesitantly and Roadhog shushes him. 

“Not mad. I understand what she means to ya… so she exiled ya instead of killin’ ya, ‘cause she cares?” 

“ Nah. She still wants me treasure.” Junkrat huffs, eyes drooping sleepily, exhausted, “She’s gon try to get my treasure, that’s what she wants now… Junkertown hasn’ changed, Roadie.”

“... Meanin’ she needs a win.” Roadhog realizes and Junkrat nods. 

“ Big win… Omnium sized win. No wonder she’s up my ass. She don’ miss me.” Junkrat hisses and Roadhog pets his back soothingly. 

“... how ‘bout we give her an omnium sized reality check?” He suggests, and Junkrat gasps, throwing himself at Roadhog and kissing him. 

“ I love you.” Kiss. “ Ya wouldn’ leave me.” Kiss. “ You understand me.” Kiss. 

“ I’d never leave ya, Junkrat.” 

 

\-----

 

“ Please let it be Bruce. Please let it be Bruce. Please let it be Bru-” Junkrat and Roadhog are pulled into Junkertown by the front of their vests and Junkrat cackles in delight, “ Bruce!” 

“Shut.It.” Bruce hissed, looking up at at Roadhog with a grin on his face, “Look at you, big guy.” He pokes Roadhog’s snout with his finger and Roadhog makes a little snuffling noise like a pig, “Missed ya, big guy. Okay, so. She’s gonna try ta kill me. You’ll bargain for me ass, ya?” 

“ Always, my guy!” Junkrat assures, only to get shushed by the two of them this time. 

They’re both covered with cloaks, even though Roadhog is kinda obvious, he’s just so big! Still, Bruce leads them through the back alleys of the town and into the scrapyard. It’s quieter than it used to be in the heyday of the pit, but that’s what happens when no one can beat the Queen. 

“Plan to blow her up?” Bruce wonders, “Jus’ wanna know whose side I should be on here.”

“Nah. Gonna spook ‘er.” Junkrat giggles in delight, “ She should be havin’ her afternoon nap so we’ll just…” He pulls a little snare he’d made outta her pocket. It’ll work great for trapping her but not hurting too bad. 

Junkrat had admitted to Roadhog he really didn’t have the heart to kill her, and Roadhog understood. She was family, even if it was because of the fucked up circumstances of their home. They wouldn’t kill her, just let her know where they stood. 

When the Queen screams, Junkrat’s cackles echo through her throne room. 

Her right ankle is stuck, held to the floor by Junkrat’s snare wire. She’d yawned, walking out of her teasuery to her throne and walked right into it. Like a deer in headlights her eyes dart around looking for the only man that’d make that noise. 

“ _ Junkrat.” _ She hisses, watching the two junkers walk out in front of her, “What is the meaning of this!?” She demands, eyes on his grenade launcher. 

“ ‘m upset.” Junkrat admits, a petulant little pout on his face, “I come back to my home and I feel a little harassed! I know what ya want, Queenie.”   
“Tell me what I want!” The Queen yells, “ Tell me, if you’re so smart!” 

“This!” Junkrat announces, the Queen’s eyes lock onto his hand as he pulls… nothing, from his pocket, “Ha! ‘M not that stupid. No one knows ‘bout me treasure. ‘Cept Roadie.” he giggles, “Ya want it, but you can’t ‘ave it. You  _ can’t.  _ You took everythin’ from me, yer not havin’ that.” 

“And what did you ever do for me, huh? Why do I owe you?” She hissed and Junkrat marches up to her, pointing a finger in her face, “Get. Away.” 

“ _ I _ made ya the ‘bot that made you Queen. I killed people while you slept ‘cause they wanted to hurt ya. I watched yer back cause we were  _ family _ . It’s not about owin’... it’s about lookin’ after one another.” 

“You’d really be lookin’ after me if you gave me the treasure.” 

“You really looked after me when you left me for dead.” 

“You threatened to kill me!”

“You didn’t trust me!” Junkrat yells, causing her to flinch, “You stopped trusting me and watched my every move and attacked me!” 

“You’re crazy.” She shakes her head, “ You can’t reason with crazy.” Her eyes dart to Roadhog, “ You must be crazy too. You ain’t worried about him blowin’ you up? Killin’ you in his sleep?” 

“Got thick skin.” Roadhog grunts and Junkrat beams. 

“ _ Roadhog _ knows the importance of family.  _ Roadie _ knows it’s about lookin’ after one another. He doesn’t leave.” 

“Get over it!” The Queen shouts, tugging her leg with a grunt, “It’s the apocalypse! Feelin’s don’t matter!” 

“ You left me!” Junkrat shoves her and she falls, trying to crawl away but stuck. “ For dead, in a room without a leg! How’s it feel to be trapped!”

Junkrat steps on the wire, stopping her range of movement, “To be trapped and feel alone!?” He snarls and she turns to him, terror on her face. 

Jamison Fawkes doesn’t laugh, just looks at her for a moment before kneeling down and carefully cutting the snare, letting her go, “You left me, Queenie. You left me. Family. Doesn’t. Leave.” He stands and walks back over to Roadie, watches her grab a gun and points it at them.   
“Get out!” 

“ Leave us alone.” Junkrat requests, “ an’ don’t be mad at Bruce we forced ourselves in he tried to stop us.” 

“Whatever! Whatever just-! Never come back! Never!” She roars, cocking her gun, “You’ll never hear from me and I’ll never hear from you! Like it should be!” 

Roadhog gives Junkrat a shove toward the entrance, “ Let’s go.” He rumbles and Junkrat nods. 

“See ya.” Junkrat waves and she sinks into her throne, watching them leave. 

 

\------

 

“... how’d that feel?” Roadhog murmurs as they’re walking back into their home.   
“Not as good as I thought it would?” Junkrat shrugs, pulling off his gear and laying it against the wall, “... bittersweet, yeah?” 

“Yeah.” Roadhog pats him on the head, “... won’t bother us now.” 

“Nah, I don’t think she will.” Junkrat looks up at his partner and grins, “ … yer not afraid I’ll blow ya up?” 

“ Nope.” Roadhog says, walking over to their fridge, Junkrat on his heels. 

“ Worried I’ll kill ya in yer sleep?” He asks, wrapping his arms around Roadhog from behind. 

“Couldn’ if ya tried.” Roadhog says, rummaging through the fridge. 

“... worried I’ll leave?” 

“... are you?”

“Nah.” Junkrat hums, nuzzling his face into Roadhog’s back, “ What we got for dinner?” 

“... Make a stew?” 

“Man after me own heart.” Junkrat sighs, looking up as Roadhog turns around, “Can I help?” 

“I’d love if you did, Junkrat.” 

“Bonzer!”

 

\-----

 

_ “Why’d ya even save me?” Junkrat asks one night, sitting next to the campfire under the stars. He’s nine and realized he’d never asked. People don’t do things in the Outback needlessly, especially when it mean having another mouth to feed.  _

_ Queenie looked up at the stars, trying to remember the constellations. Little things she never paid attention to before seemed so important now.  _

_ “... a lot of people in my life did to me what that asshole had been tryin’ to do to you, an worse… I realized this life was just goin’ to get harder and harder, an if I could help stop that for someone else, I should.” She smiles gently at him, “ Plus you were a cute little kid.”  _

_ She tries to pinch his cheek and he squawks, moving away, “Queenieeee!... Queenie?” He asks nervously and she smiles.  _

_ “Yes Jamie?” _

_ “We’ll always have each other’s backs right?”  _

_ “Always.” She beckons him back over and hugs him instead of pinching his cheek.  _

_ “Thank ya.” Jamie murmurs and she doesn’t respond, just looks back up to the sky.  _

 

_ \----- _

 

“What constellation is tha’?” Junkrat asks, passing Roadhog a beer from their cooler on the front porch. 

“I already told you.” Roadhog reminds, taking the beer and adjusting as Junkrat sits himself in his lap. 

“Tell me again?” Junkrat pleads, looking up at Roadhog with stars in his eyes. They’re prettier than any star in the sky.

“Porcus.” Roadhog grunts, causing Junkrat to giggle.   
“An’ what is Porcus?” Junkrat asks, waiting hopefully. 

Roadhog sighs, rolling his eyes behind his mask before nuzzling his snout against Junkrat’s neck and sniffling like a pig, “ A piggy.” He murmurs between snuffling. 

Junkrat laughs in delight, leaning his head back, “ Love ‘im! Love you, Hoggy.” 

“Love ya too, Junkrat.” Roadhog murmurs, holding him at his belly and looking at the sky, “ Love ya too.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I LOVE comments. I really do, they keep me thriving. Please leave a comment :)


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